1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a thermally air conditioned container in an automotive vehicle by using air from the HVAC system of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The thermal conditioning of beverages, or medicine in a vehicle is conventionally provided by the central heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module of the vehicle or a separate thermoelectric device. In the case of cooling with the HVAC system, it takes time for the typical Rankin cycle to cool air. In the case of heating with the HVAC system, it takes time to warm the coolant due to thermal inertia of the engine and the HVAC ductwork to warm-up. On the other hand, a thermoelectric device to heat or cool the air does not have the thermal capacity vs. power draw to perform the task, particularly in the short time demanded by the user. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,190 to Trachtenberg et al.
The same problems are presented in the cooling and heating of a passenger in an automotive vehicle. The current automotive air conditioning systems utilize ducts at the floor to heat, and ducts leading to vents in the instrument panel to cool. The effectiveness in attempting to cool or heat occupants in an automobile is significantly lost to the surrounding air and thermal mass, as only part of the heat exchange is directed toward the passenger.